Type exhibition - looking for lenders

eliason11 Sep 2007

As I mentioned in this thread, I have begun planning an exhibition on the theme of type design and national identity, 1900-1960. I am pleased to report that we have a venue: the exhibition, "Face the Nation: How National Identity Shaped Modern Typeface Design," will take place beginning next summer at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts.

I am now trying to round up objects to display that will convey the case studies I plan on having as parts of the show. Can you help? I am looking for offers to lend objects (specimens, other printed examples, type, matrices, etc.) related to:

GENERAL: typecasting and -setting technology 1900-1960
NORWAY: Gerhard Munthe, medieval letterform revivals
GERMANY: Koch, new blackletter designs
GERMANY: 20s sans-serifs: Futura, Erbar, Kabel
ENGLAND: Gill Sans
FRANCE: Deberny & Peignot sans, e.g. Bifur
SWITZERLAND: Helvetica, Univers
USA: Goudy
CZECHOSLOVAKIA: Vojtech Preissig
IRELAND: Colm O Lochlainn, new Irish/Gaelic script types
JEWISH DIASPORA: Hugh Schonfield, "New Hebrew Typography"

I can give assurances about security, insurance, climate control, etc. All loans will, of course, be gratefully acknowledged on exhibition labels and the checklist.

Thanks in advance for any offers or leads you can provide. I appreciate the help, and I invite you all to come to Minneapolis next year to see the show.

timd11 Sep 2007#

Try to contact the Type Museum
http://www.typemuseum.org/contact.htm

They are currently closed down, so their exhibits (not that they ever managed to get much exhibited) are sitting around gathering dust but they do have a wealth of specimens, type and matrices, including a monowidth Gill Sans developed for timetables.

Tim

Endre Berentzen11 Sep 2007#

I think you'll be tough to get samples of Munthe. To my knowledge this type was never digitised and destroyed in a bombing during world war 2. I have never seen an actual sample but only reproductions. They would have to come from somewhere though. Let us know how you go. I would love it if you found some actual samples.
Any found samples should really be placed in a museum here in Norway afterwards.

eliason12 Sep 2007#

@Tim: Thanks for the tip.

@Endre: Yes, my best hope for telling Munthe's story, I imagine, is displaying some of his earlier book designs that, though not made with type, document his interest in older regional letterforms.

Si_Daniels13 Sep 2007#

Re Gill - just saw the movie "Looking For Mr Gill" here at ATypI - the director Luke Holland is looking for screening oportunities in the states - you can contact him at zef@mistral.co.uk

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